Hydraulic pump and compressor



April 1969 R. CHESTOSKY 3,437,049

HYDRAULIC PUMP AND COMPRESSOR Filed Dec. 7, 1966 Sheet 0f 2 /7, n. 25 gl a 4 1 .10.

IN VENTOQ: ROBERT CHESTOSAKY April 8, 1969 R. CHESTOSKY HYDRAULIC PUMP AND COMPRESSOR Filed Dec. 7, 1966 United States Patent U.S. Cl. 103127 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pump also useable as a compressor having a hemispherical pump chamber and a power driven hemispherical rotor. The rotor has a conical face spaced from a base of the housing and spring biased vanes fitting within diametrically opposed slots in the rotor base. Retaining springs urge the vanes against the base of the housing. The pump has sealed means comprising a bellows to pivot the housing with respect to the rotor to adjust the capacity of the pump and vary the flow. The bellows encloses a rotor shaft in sealed relation in order to eifect the pivoting of the housing to vary the pump capacity.

By means of this invention there has been provided a pump which may also be used as a compressor. The pump is provided with a constant speed hemispherical rotor having a pumping face of a flattened conical configuration. The rotor is housed in a housing of mating hemispherical configuration with means provided by vanes to divide the pump chamber in a plurality of separate radial compartments that act as impellors to cause the flow of air or oil. The pump may be adjusted for variable capacity by pivoting the housing with respect to the rotor, with it being understood that the rotor may operate at a constant speed while being driven by a conventional prime moving source such as a motor. The pump, in addition, may be reversed or operated at a neutral condition by changing the adjustment of the housing. Fluid loss is prevented by a bellows sealing means between the bearing for the rotor shaft and the housing, such that full adjustment and relative movement to effect changes in capacity can be effected. Through the use of vanes defining the separate compartments in the pump chamber and spring biasing means to effect the substantial sealing relationship, a high degree of efiiciency is provided and the pump can be operated without chattering or wobble movement to minimize wear and disrepair.

The above features are objects of this invention and further objects will appear in the detailed description which follows and will be otherwise apparent to those skilled in the art.

For the purpose of illustration of this invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment and a modification of the invention. It is to be understood that these drawings are for the purpose of example only and that the invention is not limited thereto.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of the pump;

FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation of the pump taken from the bottom of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view taken in section on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view in section through the vertical axis of the pump taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a view in section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 showing the structure of the base plate of the pump;

FIGURE 6 is a view in section through the axis of the 3,437,049 Patented Apr. 8, 1969 pump taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4 and is from the sectional view of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 but showing the pump base tilted with respect to the rotor to change the function of the pump;

FIGURE 8 is a view of a modified pump having a fixed setting;

FIGURE 9 is a view in side elevation of a vane retaining spring;

FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of the retaining spring;

FIGURE 11 is a pictorial view of one of the pump vanes;

FIGURE 12 is a top plan view of a top cover plate for the pump;

FIGURE 13 is a view in elevation of a hemispherical bearing hub used on the base of the pump;

FIGURE 14 is a bottom plan view of the pump rotor;

FIGURE 15 is a view in vertical section through the rotor taken on line 1515 of FIGURE 14; and

FIGURE 16 is a top plan view of the rotor.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 to 7, the pump of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 20. It is comprised of a housing 22, a rotor or pump element 24 connected to a rotor shaft 26, and a pivotable yoke 28 by means of which the pump adjustment, regarding volume of flow and direction of flow, is obtained.

The pump housing 22 is best shown in FIGURES 4 to 7 and is comprised of a base 30 and a stator or body element 32, and a cover plate 34 connected to the base plate by the rods 35. The body element has a hemi spherical opening defining a general pump chamber 36 within which the rotor is fitted.

The base 30 has an arcuate slot 38 cut into its inner face, which communicates with a port 40. This slot insures that a plurality of the pump compartment which bridge the slot, later to be described, are in communication with the fluid to be pumped. A second slot 42 communicating with a port 44 is positioned diametrically opposed to the slot 38, and serves the same function but in reverse as to the aforementioned slot.

The inner face of the base is further provided with a hemispherical hub 46, which serves as a bearing for the rotor and also to support spring biasing means for the pump vanes, as will be later described.

The yoke 28 is comprised of a bight portion 50 joining legs 52 and 54. The ends of the legs are pivoted by means of pivot pins 56 and 58 connected to protruding stud portions 60- and 62 on the base plate shown in FIG- URE 4.

The cover plate 34 is provided with an elongated slot 66, best shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, to provide for the tiliting movement of the pump housing with respect to the rotor, and to accommodate the rotor shaft in the various positions of adjustment. The cover 34 further receives a bellows 68, which is connected to the top of the cover at one end and to a bearing 70 at the other end, which receives the rotor shaft. The bearing is supported by the bight portion 50 of the yoke and is fixed with respect to it.

A handle shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1 and indicated by the reference numeral 72 may also be connected to the housing by attachment to an extension 74 of the top cover plate. By means of the handle, the housing may be pivoted about the pivot pins 56 and 58 and positioned in various degrees of adjustment, while the rotor, the yoke, and the rotor shaft all retain their same positional relationship with respect to one another.

The rotor 24 is best shown in FIGURES 4, 6 and 7, and 14 through 16. The rotor is of a substantially hemispherical construction, indicated by the surface 76. It is connected to the rotor shaft 26 through a threaded opening 78, which receives a threaded end of the rotor shaft.

The pumping face of the rotor is in the form of a flattened cone in which the opposite sides of the cone are at an angle of about 160 to 170, as an example. The face of the cone is indicated by the reference numeral 80 and is recessed at the apex to provide a hemispherical opening 82 to receive the hub 46 of the housing base. A slot 84 is cut into the hemispherical opening 82 within the rotor to provide for the stacking of the bias springs to hold the pump vanes in place, as will appear hereinbelow.

The pump vanes define the individual compartments in the pump as best shown in FIGURE 11, and are generally designated by the reference numeral 86. They are generally pie-shaped in configuration having an outer end 88 and an arcuate inner end 90. The end 88 mates with the hemispherical pump chamber surface 36, while the inner end 90 mates with the bearing hub 46. A notch 92 is cut into one side of the vane in order to receive the biasing spring.

The biasing springs are best shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 and are generally identified by the reference numeral 94. They are of generally V-shaped configuration having two arms 96 and 98 connected to offset end portions 100 and 102.

The means for receiving the pump vanes in the rotor and the biasing arrangement is best shown by referring to FIGURES 14-16 and then to FIGURES 4, 6 and 7. This arrangement includes a series of slots, designated by the reference numerals 104, 106 and 108, cutting across the conical face of the pump rotor. These slots receive the biasing springs 94 and a pair of diametrically opposed vanes in each one of the slots with the vanes being urged away from the rotor and into bearing relation with the inner face of the pump housing base, so that as the rotor rotates with respect to the housing the vanes sweep across the face in close or sealing relationship.

A modification of the pump of this invention is shown in FIGURE 8. This pump works upon the same principle as that described above, but is not capable of different positions of adjustment since it is kept in a fixed position. Identical parts will be given the same reference numerals in this embodiment. As shown in FIGURE 8, the bellows of the preferred embodiment has been replaced by a fixed shroud 110, which serves the same scaling function as that of the bellows. The shroud is connected between the cover 34 and a bearing 70, which supports the rotor shaft 26. An additional bearing 112 is fixed to the cover and is positioned at an angle away from the perpendicular, which, for purpose of illustration in the drawing, may be 10 away from the perpendicular, or, to put it another way, 10 away from the axis of the hemispherical pump chamber. This embodiment provides a fixed capacity pump which operates at a set volume per unit time. The additional bearing 112 provides greater support for the rotor shaft, and the pump can be operated over long periods of time with a minimum of maintenance and wear.

Operation.

The pump of this invention and the preferred embodiment of FIGURES 1 through 7, is shown in FIGURE 6 in the neutral position. Two of the oppositely disposed pump chambers are shown in this position in FIGURE 6 by the reference numerals 120 and 122, and are defined by the inner face of the base and the conical face of the pump rotor shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 6. In this position when the rotor shaft is connected to a prime moving means, such as the rotor, the rotor 24 will rotate, but, since the volume and area of the pump compartments on all sides are the same, there will be no pumping effect.

When it is desired to pump, the handle of the housing 72 may be moved to the left, as shown in FIGURE 1, to effect the position shown in FIGURE 7. In this position it will be seen that the pump chamber 120 is increased in size compared to FIGURE 6, while the pump chamber 122 in FIGURE 7 is reduced and is shown as a line to signify the reduction over the size of the pump chamber 122 in FIGURE 6. Although the face of the rotor does not actually bear against the base, it will be understood that the size of the pump chamber, due to the base of the pump moving to a position almost flush with the inner face of the base of the housing, is so reduced in size that it cannot be shown within the limitations of the size of the drawing.

In the condition shown in FIGURE 7, inlet fluid enters through the port into the chamber 120 and as the rotor rotates, and the chambers approach the size of that shown in FIGURE 7 as chamber 122, the fluid will be expelled through the opposite port. Due to the off-center or tilting relationship of the rotor with respect to the housing, each of the six chambers defined by the pump vanes 86, and shown in FIGURE 14, will vary in size as the rotor rotates. The pump vanes are held in place by the biasing springs 94 and sweep across the innerface of the housing base to effect a substantial seal between the compartments as the compartments change from evacuation for the inlet of the fluid to a pumping or compressing action for the expulsion of the fluid.

Due to the elongated nature of the slots 38 and 42, fluid will be introduced and pumped respectively from more than one compartment as the slots are bridged by these compartments. This arrangement aids in prevention of hydraulic lock on the pumping side and on the introduction or inlet side aids in preventing the creation of a vacuum.

The vanes 86 are maintained in their sealing relationship by the biasing action of the springs 94. Through the positioning of these vanes within the slots of the rotor and the biasing or urging by the springs of the vanes into engagement with the inner face of the base, the maintenance of the individual pump compartments is maintained. The vanes may be made of powdered graphite, or other similar material of construction that acts as a self-lubricant as the vanes sweep across the face. Through this arrangement an efficient operation has been provided.

When it is desired to adjust the pump output, the output may be slightly increased by rotating the housing clockwise with respect to the rotor shaft, as viewed in FIGURE 7, which will increase the output a slight amount. When it is desired to reduce the output, the housing is rotated counterclockwise to any desired position of adjustment for reduction of flow until the neutral point is reached, as shown in FIGURE 6.

For reversal of flow, the housing is rotated counterclockwise with respect to that position shown in FIGURE 6 in which case the pumping chamber will be 120 and the introduction chamber will be chamber 122. Thus, by the structure shown, a pump has been provided which is fully efficient in its operation and can be adjusted in varied positions of pumping flow from a neutral position to a maximum position and then reversed with the same adjustment being obtainable.

The modification shown in FIGURE 8 provides a set condition of pumping. In effect it is a one speed pump or one rating pump, since its chambers cannot be adjusted due to the fixed relationship of the housing with respect to the rotor. The additional bearing 112 provides for a great amount of stability in the prevention of wear and reduction of maintenance. The fixed shroud or seal likewise provides a long life to the operation of the pump, since it is not subjected to flexing.

Various changes and modifications may be made within this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. As an example, the pump may be used as a compressor by connecting the outlet port to a closed container and pumping against this force to compress air. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A pump comprising a housing having a hemispherical pump chamber, a hemispherical rotor fitting within said chamber and means for driving said rotor including a shaft extending through said housing connected to a prime moving means, said rotor having a conical face spaced from a base of the housing to define a pump compression chamber, said base being further provided with a pair of diametrically opposed arcuate slots open to the pump chamber, each of said slots being connected to a port leading to the exterior of the housing, said ports serving as inlets and outlets to the pump, means for positioning said rotor within said chamber in a tilted relation, sealing means dividing the pump compression chamber into a plurality of radial areas, said sealing means comprising a plurality of radial vanes extending between the face of the rotor and the base of the housing, said vanes being adapted to sweep around the base of the housing as the rotor rotates, means provided in the rotor receiving the vanes for relative movement therebetween and to bias the vanes in sealing relation against said base, said last named means comprising radial slots in the face of said rotor receiving said vanes and a spring in said slots biasing the vanes against the base.

2. The pump of claim 1 in which the base of the housing is provided with a hemispherical hub and the rotor is provided with a mating cavity to provide a bearing relationship, said radial slots are diametrically opposed to one another in the face of said rotor, and leaf spring means extend from one slot to a diametrically opposed slot across the base hub to bias the vanes against the base.

3. A pump comprising a housing having a hemispherical pump chamber, a hemispherical rotor fitting within said chamber and means for driving said rotor including a shaft extending through said housing connected to a prime moving means, said rotor having a conical face spaced from a base of the housing to define a pump compression chamber, means for positioning said rotor within said chamber in a tilted relation, sealing means dividing the pump compression chamber into a plurality of radial areas and sealed means provided to pivot the housing with respect to the rotor to adjust the capacity of the pump, said sealed pivot means comprising a yoke having a bight portion connected to a pair of arms, said arms being pivoted at their ends to the base of the housing, and said bight being provided with a bearing means receiving the rotor shaft.

4. The pump of claim 3 in which a flexible bellows is connected in sealing relation between the bearing on the bight of the yoke and the housing to enclose the rotor shaft in sealed relation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,380,886 6/1945 Waldie 103-120X 2,678,003 5/1954 Gerken 103-120 X 2,689,550 9/1954 Granberg 91-75 2,708,413 5/1955 Loewen 103-120 X 2,751,888 6/1956 Bonner 91-143 2,832,198 4/1958 Pichon 103-120 X 2,908,224 10/1959 Houser 103-120 FOREIGN PATENTS 836,813 1/1939 France. 573,278 11/ 1945 Great Britain.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. L. H. GERIN, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

